Why I’m with her

Unlike Donald Trump, I really was against the last Iraq war before it began. I was furious at George W. Bush, and in 2004 I passed out campaign materials for the Democrats.

Then Bush got reelected anyway, and life went on, and I lost what little political attentiveness and acumen I had. Which brings us to 2015-16 and the rise of Donald Trump.

My life is more complicated now, so I’m not knocking on doors as I did in ’04. But I’m writing this for any on-the-fence acquaintances who want to know where I stand and why.

(Please note: I am NOT aiming to change the minds of strong Trump supporters. I am as powerless to persuade you as you are to persuade me. Let’s not argue.)

I have spent my adult life in academia, largely because I identify with and believe in academic values: intellectual curiosity; careful deliberation and discussion; the imperfect but honest pursuit of truth; respect for others different from oneself; and the humility of recognizing one’s limitations, even in one’s chosen field.

In my view, Donald Trump does not live by or promote these values, but Hillary Clinton does.

Much has been said about Trump’s treatment of ethnic and religious minorities and women: his call for a ban on immigration by Muslims, his “Look at that face!” comment on fellow candidate Carly Fiorina, etc. etc. etc. The September 26 debate reminded me just how bad Trump is on this issue. When moderator Lester Holt turned the debate to the topic of racial tensions, Trump’s main points included (1) African Americans should be happy that he vigorously pursued the Obama “birther” controversy, (2) violent crime in Chicago concerns him because he owns property there, (3) he was able to settle a 1973 lawsuit of racial discrimination without admitting guilt, and (4) he recently opened a club in one of Florida’s wealthiest communities that ISN’T RACIST! It was a performance so bereft of compassion that I LOL’ed with incredulity.

Clinton, in contrast, has tons of experience (as Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady) in using the levers of government to effect change in the United States and elsewhere. She does her homework, stays lucid and level-headed under pressure, and acknowledges nuances and complexities that Trump cannot be bothered with.

[Friendly reminder: This post, like the rest of this blog, reflects my opinions as a private citizen and does NOT represent the position of the University of Washington or any other organization with which I am affiliated.]

From: My Track Record To: jack_cr2@yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 4:12 PM Subject: [New post] Why I’m with her #yiv2873834867 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv2873834867 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv2873834867 a.yiv2873834867primaryactionlink:link, #yiv2873834867 a.yiv2873834867primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv2873834867 a.yiv2873834867primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv2873834867 a.yiv2873834867primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv2873834867 WordPress.com | crowther posted: “Unlike Donald Trump, I really was against the last Iraq war before it began. I was furious at George W. Bush, and in 2004 I passed out campaign materials for the Democrats.Then Bush got reelected anyway, and life went on, and I lost what little polit” | |

Thanks for your opinion. But I know you are giving Secretary Clinton far too much trust in her honesty. In addition, her foreign policy results are hardly more than disastrous.

Here’s an article by Thomas Sowell, an economist whom I admire and trust, that is much more realistic than your analysis. As he says, are you for a person whom you know will be a disaster from her record, or are you for a person whom you suspect will be a disaster?

[…] I consider Trump to be the worst presidential candidate I’ve ever encountered. But just as I shouldn’t have minimized all soldiers based on Dick Cheney’s flawed ideology and bad decisions, I shouldn’t assume that Trump’s supporters are all guilty of Trump’s sins. I don’t know what they all thought they were voting for, but it wasn’t necessarily misogyny or racism. […]

[…] the victim of prejudice. Thus, when our president blames American problems on, say, immigrants, my objections are more intellectual than visceral. I don’t personally experience queasiness, sadness, rage, or fear in the way that an […]